Spec Finish

Design 28 www.thefis.org space, you wouldn’t necessarily put these next to zone one, a space reserved for quiet focused activities. There are areas that overlap, spaces that we refer to as architectural buffers, here we look to control the transition of zones to create a comfortable environment. A typical approach to space planning in the early 2000s was very corporate, not dynamic, with a zone five front and back of house divide. The front of the house is a reception and meeting rooms and the back of the house is workstations and a lunch room. There was a lack of variety in the office landscape, a day working here would involve coming in and sitting at a desk, if you needed to meet or collaborate you would do so by booking a meeting room. It is key to note that although there is no variety in the working areas, the sequencing of spaces is correct, and there are no sudden jumps in energy levels. In the 2010’s decade, we saw the rise of tech and media companies, with clients looking to create an office like Google. These offices were far less corporate, and looked to be more inspiring, with less formal meeting space. However, as much as here we were great at creating dynamic landscapes with lots of working opportunities, the all- important sequential order was thrown out of the window. A zone five would be next to a two, a four next to a one, the spaces were all over the place. So, whilst we were exploring other opportunities, we were not fully understanding what they needed in order to function correctly. So, what is happening today when creating the modern office. We are beginning to understand what it means to design for a neurodiverse community. In the space plan below (See Figure 2), you can see the consideration towards the sequential order in zoning, ensuring healthy buffers between the zones that allow us to target acoustics, lighting and air quality. But what we want to understand now is whom are the people using the spaces and where do they sit on the sensory threshold spectrum? The quote below, from an autistic student, captures this idea well: “We are freshwater fish in saltwater. Put us in fresh water and we function just fine, put us in salt water and we will struggle to survive.” If our disabilities flare upwhen there is a misalignment between us and our environment, thenwhy not change our environment?We cannot control our neurological differences, but we can control our environment.This is the fundamental aimwhen creating themodern office, to create an environment that supports a broad spectrumof individuals, empowering themto be able to do their best work every day. www.modus.space Figure 2. To define and support best practice fit-out projects in a changing world FIS recently released the updated Client Guide to Office Fit-Out and Refurbishment. The guide is aimed at clients, contractors and architects involved in fit-out projects in a changing world. For clients, creating or adapting an office fit-out that can suit businesses in an environment where hybrid working has become the norm can prove daunting. The publication will guide them through the process from the initial decision as to whether to refurbish an existing office or relocate and fit-out new premises, through to post-occupancy evaluation. It explains step- by-step the process, along with outlining the professional help available to help ensure a successful outcome. The revised guide reflects the driving forces behind changes to office space design including considering the responsibilities of a client and other implications of the Building Safety Act and how to consider the impact in the early stages of planning a fit-out. It also reflects the evolution and rapid maturation of best practices and methods of measurement relating to sustainability. Download it at www.thefis.org/membership-hub/publications/client-guide-to-fit-out Figure 1.